Complex and exotic nuclear geometries collectively referred to as "nuclear pasta" are expected to naturally exist in the crust of neutron stars and in supernovae matter. Using a set of self-consistent microscopic nuclear energy density functionals we present the first results of large scale quantum simulations of pasta phases at baryon densities $0.03 < \rho < 0.10$ fm$^{-3}$, proton fractions $0.05 < Y_{\rm p} < 0.40$, and zero temperature. The full quantum simulations, in particular, allow us to also study the role and impact of the nuclear symmetry energy on these pasta configurations.

*This work is supported in part by DOE grants DE-FG02-87ER40365 (Indiana University) and DE-SC0008808 (NUCLEI SciDAC Collaboration).

To cite this abstract, use the following reference: http://meetings.aps.org/link/BAPS.2016.APR.M9.4